Baking Bread with your Basics

If you have started buying your basics in bulk - and even if you haven't - it is time to start some practical applications.  Let's bake some bread!!

The following recipe is one that I got from my daughter.  It is almost like eating cake, so it is a great recipe to introduce to your family, especially if you are used to eating white, store-bought bread.  It is also very versatile in that you can incorporate 1/2 whole wheat flour and still end up with a wonderful bread.  I usually divide the dough in half and make 2 loaves, but I have also divided the dough into thirds and made a braid out of it.  Beautiful and tasty!!!

BASIC WHITE BREAD -

1/3 cup milk (can you guess by now that I use my powdered milk mixture?)
1 1/2 cup warm water
1 Tbl. oil
1 Tbl. butter
2 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup sugar (I use Sucanat)
4 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (I use half unbleached bread flour and half fresh ground spelt)
2 teaspoons yeast

I have to admit that my daughter and I both cheat, in that she uses her Zojirushi Home Bakery Supreme Breadmaker to do the mixing of this and then pulls it out before the baking cycle and does what she will with the dough and I use my Bosch Universal Plus Stand Mixer, 800 watt, 6.5-Quarts to mix the dough together and then let it rise in an oiled bowl before dividing it into loaves.  There was a time when I did all my dough by hand - and it can be done - but now I suppose I am ruined!  I haven't wanted to get into much detail about bread making itself because there are so many different approaches.  So as simply as possible, all the ingredients go into a bowl as listed.  The best way to mix the batter is with your hands, although you can start it with a wooden spoon.  Once you have your wet mass, you can turn it out onto a floured surface to knead it.  I do add an additional 1/2 cup or so of flour even when I am using my Bosch.  I knead this dough for about 12 minutes in my Bosch and I think most bread machines have an initial dough knead of about 15 minutes.  You can count on a sticky mess if you are kneading by hand, but if you can keep your mass from sticking to the surface and can keep at it, the gluten will eventually activate and become a smooth, round ball of dough.  Be careful of adding too much additional flour or your dough will be too heavy.  Place your round mound of dough in an oiled bowl to rise and double in size, preferably in a warm place.  This can take an hour or two.  When it has doubled, punch down the dough and divide it into two parts and place each in an oiled bread pan.  Let rise until doubled again, about an hour.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 - 25 minutes.

For more specific information on bread making check out:

 The Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book: A Guide to Whole-Grain Breadmaking - don't get too hung up in all the technique, I have hardly ever done it "by the book," and we have enjoyed home made bread for years!!!

Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: The Discovery That Revolutionizes Home Baking - this is a relatively new method that seems to be taking home bakers by storm.  I have tried it and it is VERY EASY!!